A Country Christmas

by Debbie Macomber

  He thought he might avoid Thanksgiving activities altogether, but should have known better. Around noon his father arrived. As soon as he saw the truck heading toward the house, Cal stepped onto the back porch to wait for him.

  “What are you doing here, Dad?” he demanded, making sure his father understood that he didn’t appreciate the intrusion.

  “It’s Thanksgiving.”

  “I know what day it is,” Cal snapped.

  “I thought I’d let you buy me dinner,” Phil said blithely.

  “I thought they served a big fancy meal at the retirement residence.”

  “They do, but I’d rather eat with you.”

  Cal would never admit it, but despite his avowals, he wanted the company.

  “Where am I taking you?” he asked, coming down the concrete steps to meet Phil.

  “Brewster.”

  Cal tipped back his hat to get a better look at his father. “Why?”

  “The Rocky Creek Inn,” Phil said. “From what I hear, they cook a dinner fit to rival even Dovie’s.”

  “It’s one of the priciest restaurants in the area,” Cal muttered, remembering how his father had announced Cal would be footing the bill.

  Phil laughed. “Hey, I’m retired. I can’t afford a place as nice as the Rocky Creek Inn. Besides, I have something to tell you.”

  “Tell me here,” Cal said, wondering if his father had news about Jane and the children. If so, he wanted it right now.

  Phil shook his head. “Later.”

  They decided to leave for Brewster after Cal changed clothes and shaved. His father made himself at home while he waited and Cal was grateful he didn’t mention the condition of the house. When he returned wearing a clean, if wrinkled, shirt and brand-new Wranglers, Phil was reading Paul’s letter, which lay on the kitchen table, along with three weeks’ worth of unopened mail. He paused, expecting his father to lay into him about leaving his family behind in California, and was relieved when Phil didn’t. No censure was necessary; Cal had called himself every kind of fool for what he’d done.

  The drive into Brewster took almost two hours and was fairly relaxing. They discussed a range of topics, everything from politics to sports, but avoided anything to do with Jane and the kids. A couple of times Cal could have led naturally into the subject of his wife, but didn’t. No need to ruin the day with a litany of his woes.

  The Rocky Creek Inn had a reputation for excellent food and equally good service. They ended up waiting thirty minutes for a table, but considering it was a holiday and they had no reservation, they felt that wasn’t bad.

  Both men ordered the traditional Thanksgiving feast and a glass of wine. Cal waited until the waiter had poured his chardonnay before he spoke. “You had something you wanted to tell me?” He’d bet the ranch that whatever it was involved the situation with Jane. But he didn’t mind. After three frustrating weeks, he hoped Phil had some news.

  “Do you remember when I had my heart attack?”

  Cal wasn’t likely to forget. He’d nearly lost his father. “Of course.”

  “What you probably don’t know is that your mother and I nearly split up afterward.”

  “You and Mom?” Cal couldn’t hide his shock. As far as he knew, his parents’ marriage had been rock-solid from the day of their wedding until they’d lowered his mother into the ground.

  “I was still in the hospital recovering from the surgery and your mother, God bless her, waltzed into my room and casually said she’d put earnest money down on the old Howe place.”

  Cal reached for his wineglass in an effort to stifle a grin. He remembered the day vividly. The doctors had talked to the family following open-heart surgery and suggested Phil think about reducing his hours at the ranch. Shortly after that, his parents decided to open a bed-and-breakfast in town. It was then that Cal and his brother had taken over the operation of the Lonesome Coyote Ranch.

  “Your mother didn’t even ask me about buying that monstrosity,” his father told him. “I was on my death bed—”

  “You were in the hospital,” Cal corrected.

  “All right, all right, but you get the picture. Next thing I know, Mary comes in and tells me, tells me, mind you, that I’ve retired and the two of us are moving to town and starting a bed-and-breakfast.”

  Cal nearly burst out laughing, although he was well aware of what his mother had done and why. Getting Phil to cut back his hours would have been impossible, and Mary had realized that retirement would be a difficult adjustment for a man who’d worked cattle all his life. Phil wasn’t capable of spending his days lazing around, so she’d taken matters into her own hands.

  “I didn’t appreciate what your mother did, manipulating me like that,” Phil continued. “She knew I never would’ve agreed to live in town, and she went ahead and made the decision, anyway.”

  “But, Dad, it was a brilliant idea.” The enterprise had been a money-maker from the first. The house was in decent condition, but had enough quirks to keep his father occupied with a variety of repair projects. The bed-and-breakfast employed the best of both his parents’ skills. Phil was a natural organizer and his mother was personable and warm, good at making people feel welcome.

  His father’s eyes clouded. “It was brilliant, but at the time I didn’t see it that way. I don’t mind telling you I was mad enough to consider ending our marriage.”

  Cal frowned. “You didn’t mean it, Dad.”

  “The hell I didn’t. I would’ve done it, too, if I hadn’t been tied down to that hospital bed. It gave me time to think about what I’d do without Mary in my life, and after a few days I decided to give your mother a second chance.”

  Cal laughed outright.

  “You think I’m joking, but I was serious and your mother knew it. When she left the hospital, she asked me to have my attorney contact hers. The way I felt right then, I swear I was determined to do it, Cal. I figured there are some things a man won’t let a woman interfere with in life, and as far as I was concerned at that moment, Mary had crossed the line.”

  Ah, so this was what Cal was meant to hear. In her lack of trust, Jane had crossed the line with him, too. Only, he hadn’t been the one who’d chosen to break up the family. That decision had rested entirely with Jane.

  “I notice you haven’t pried into my situation yet,” Cal murmured.

  “No, I haven’t,” Phil said. “That’s your business and Jane’s. If you want out of the marriage, then that’s up to you.”

  “Out of the marriage!” Cal shot back. “Jane’s the one who wants out. She decided not to return to Promise. The day of her father’s funeral, she told me she was staying with her mother...indefinitely.”

  “You agreed to this?”

  “The hell I did!”

  “But you left.”

  Cal had replayed that fateful night a hundred times, asking himself these same questions. Should he have stayed and talked it out with her? Should he have taken a stand and insisted she listen to reason? Three weeks later, he still didn’t have the answer.

  “Don’t you think Jane might have been distraught over her father’s death?” Phil wanted to know.

  “Yeah.” Cal nodded. “But it’s been nearly a month and she hasn’t had a change of heart yet.”

  “No, she hasn’t,” Phil said, and sighed. “It’s a shame, too, a real shame.”

  “I love her, Dad.” Cal was willing to admit it. “I miss her and the kids.” He thought of the day he’d found Paul’s blankey. After all the distress that stupid blanket had caused him, Cal was so glad to see it he’d brought it to his face, breathing in the familiar scent of his son. Afterward, the knot in his stomach was so tight he hadn’t eaten for the rest of the day.

  “I remember when Jennifer left you,” Phil said, growing melancholy, “just a couple of days before the wedding. You looked like some
one had stabbed a knife straight through your gut. I knew you loved her, but you didn’t go after her.”

  “No way.” Jennifer had made her decision.

  “Pride wouldn’t let you,” Phil added. “In that case, I think it was probably for the best. I’m not convinced of it this time.” His father shook his head. “I loved your mother, don’t misunderstand me—it damn near killed me when she died—but as strong as my love for her was, we didn’t have the perfect marriage. We argued, but we managed to work out our problems. I’m sure you’ll resolve things with Jane, too.”

  Cal hoped that was true, but he wasn’t nearly as confident as his father.

  “The key is communication,” Phil said.

  Cal held his father’s look. “That’s a little difficult when Jane’s holed up halfway across the country. Besides, as I understand it, communication is a two-way street. Jane has to be willing to talk to me and she isn’t.”

  “Have you made an effort to get in touch with her?”

  He shook his head.

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “Go ahead and say it,” Cal muttered. “You think I should go after her.”

  “Are you asking my opinion?” Phil asked.

  “No, but you’re going to give it to me, anyway.”

  “If Jane was my wife,” Phil said, his eyes intent on Cal, “I’d go back for her and settle this once and for all. I wouldn’t return to Promise without her. Are you willing to do that, son?”

  Cal needed to think about it, and about all the things that had been said. “I don’t know,” he answered, being as honest as he could. “I just don’t know.”

  * * *

  Nicole Nelson arrived for work at Tumbleweed Books bright and early on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving. With the official start of the Christmas season upon them, the day was destined to be a busy one. She let herself in the back door, prepared to open the bookstore for Annie, who was leaving more and more of the responsibility to her, which proved—to Nicole’s immense satisfaction—that Annie liked and trusted her.

  Nicole had taken a calculated risk over Thanksgiving and lost. In the end she’d spent the holiday alone, even though she’d received two dinner invitations. Her plan had been to spend the day with Cal. She would’ve made sure he didn’t feel threatened, would have couched her suggestion in compassionate terms—just two lonely people making it through the holiday. Unfortunately it hadn’t turned out that way. She’d phoned the ranch house twice and there’d been no answer, which made her wonder where he’d gone and who he’d been with. Needless to say, she hadn’t left a message.

  At any rate, the wife was apparently out of the picture. That had been surprisingly easy. Jane Patterson didn’t deserve her husband if she wasn’t willing to fight for him. Most women did fight. Usually their attempts were just short of pathetic, but for reasons Nicole had yet to understand, men generally chose to stay with their wives.

  Those who didn’t...well, the truth was, Nicole quickly grew bored with them. It was different with Cal, had always been different. Never before had she shown her hand more blatantly than she had with Dr. Jane. Nicole felt almost sorry for her. Really, all she’d done was enlighten Jane about a few home truths. The woman didn’t value what she had if she was willing to let Cal go with barely a protest.

  The phone rang. It wasn’t even nine, the store didn’t officially open for another hour, and already they were receiving calls.

  “Tumbleweed Books,” Nicole answered.

  “Annie Porter, please.” The voice sounded vaguely familiar.

  “I’m sorry, Annie won’t be in until ten.”

  “But I just phoned the house and Lucas told me she was at work.”

  “Then she should be here any minute.” Playing a hunch, Nicole asked, “Is this Jane Patterson?”

  The hesitation at the other end confirmed her suspicion. “Is this Nicole Nelson?”

  “It is,” Nicole said, then added with a hint of regret, “I’m sorry to hear about you and Cal.”

  There was a soft disbelieving laugh. “I doubt that. I’d appreciate it if you’d tell Annie I phoned.”

  “Of course. I understand your father recently passed away. I am sorry, Jane.”

  Jane paused, but thanked her.

  “Annie was really upset about it. She seems fond of your family.”

  Another pause. “Please have her call when it’s convenient.”

  “I will.” Nicole felt the need to keep Jane on the line. Know your enemy, she thought. “My friend Jennifer Healy was the one who broke off her engagement with Cal. Did you know that?”

  The responding sigh told Nicole that Jane was growing impatient with her. “I remember hearing something along those lines.”

  “Cal didn’t go after Jennifer, either.”

  “Either?” Jane repeated.

  “Cal never said who wanted the separation—you or him. It’s not something we talk about. But the fact that he hasn’t sent for you says a great deal, don’t you think?”

  “What’s happening between my husband and me is none of your business. Goodbye, Nicole.” Her words were followed by a click and then a dial tone.

  So Dr. Jane had hung up on her. That didn’t come as a shock. If anything, it stimulated Nicole. She’d moved to Promise, determined to have Cal Patterson. Through the years, he’d never strayed far from her mind. She’d lost her fair share of married men to their wives, but that wasn’t going to happen this time.

  So far she’d been smart, played her cards right, and her patience had been rewarded. In three weeks, she’d only contacted Cal once and that was about a book order. Shortly after he’d returned from California alone, the town had been filled with speculation. The news excited Nicole. She’d planted the seeds, let gossip water Jane’s doubts, trusting that time would eventually bring her hopes to fruition. With Jane still in California, Nicole couldn’t help being curious about the status of the relationship, so she’d phoned to let him know the book Jane had ordered was in. Only Jane hadn’t ordered any book...

  Playing dumb, Nicole had offered to drop it off at the ranch, since she was headed in that direction anyway—or so she’d claimed. Cal declined, then suggested Annie mail it to Jane at her mother’s address in California. Despite her efforts to keep Cal talking, it hadn’t worked. But he’d been in a hurry; he must’ve had things to do. And he probably felt a bit depressed about the deterioration of his marriage. After all, no man enjoyed failure. Well, she’d just have to comfort him, wouldn’t she? She sensed that her opportunity was coming soon.

  It was always more difficult when there were children involved. In all honesty, Nicole didn’t feel good about destroying a family. However, seeing how easy it’d been to break up this marriage made her suspect that the relationship hadn’t been very secure in the first place.

  She’d bide her time. It wouldn’t be long before Cal needed someone to turn to. And Nicole had every intention of being that someone.

  * * *

  After speaking to that horrible woman, Jane felt wretched. Nicole had implied—no, more than implied—that she and Cal were continuing to see each other. Sick to her stomach, Jane hurried to her bedroom.

  “Jane.” Her mother stepped into the room. “Are you all right? Was that Cal on the phone? What happened? I saw you talking and all of a sudden the color drained from your face and you practically ran in here.”

  “I’m fine, Mom,” Jane assured her. “No, it wasn’t Cal. It wasn’t anyone important.”

  “I finished writing all the thank-you notes and decided I need a break. How about if I take you and the children to lunch?”

  The thought of food repelled her. “I don’t feel up to going out, Mom. Sorry.”

  “You won’t mind if I take the kids? Santa’s arriving at the mall this afternoon and I know Paul and Mary Ann will be thrilled.”


  An afternoon alone sounded wonderful to Jane. “Are you sure it won’t be too much for you?”

  “Time with these little ones is exactly what I need.”

  “Is there anything you want me to do while you’re out?” Jane asked, although she longed for nothing so much as a two-hour nap.

  “As a matter of fact, there is,” Stephanie said. “I want you to rest. You don’t look well. You’re tired and out of sorts.”

  That was putting it mildly. Jane felt devastated and full of despair, and given the chance, she’d delight in tearing Nicole Nelson’s hair out! What a lovely Christian thought, she chastised herself. For that matter, what a cliché.

  “Mom.” Paul stood in the doorway to her bedroom.

  “Aren’t you going with Grandma?” Jane asked.

  Paul nodded, then came into the room and handed her his blankey. “This is for you.” Jane smiled as he placed the tattered much-loved blanket on her bed.

  “Thank you, sweetheart,” she said and kissed his brow.

  Jane heard the front door close as the children left with her mother. Taking them to a mall the day after Thanksgiving was the act of an insane woman, in Jane’s opinion. She wouldn’t be caught anywhere near crowds like that. As soon as the thought formed in her mind, Jane realized she hadn’t always felt that way. A few years ago she’d been just as eager as all those other shoppers. Even in medical school she’d found time to hunt down the best buys. It’d been a competition with her friends; the cheaper an item, the greater the bragging rights.

  Not so these days. None of that seemed important anymore. The closest mall was a hundred miles from the ranch, and almost everything she owned was bought in town, ordered through a catalog or purchased over the Internet. The life she lived now was based in small-town America. And she loved it.

  She missed Promise. She missed her husband even more.

  Her friends, too. Jane could hardly imagine what they must think. The only person she’d talked to after the funeral had been Annie, and then just briefly. When Annie had asked about Cal, Jane had refused to discuss him, other than to say they’d separated. It would do no good to talk about her situation with Annie, especially since Nicole worked for her now.